Court upholds $60,000 award for woman with service dogs

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Court of Appeals upheld a ruling that the owner of a Eugene convenience store must continue to pay damages to a woman who was refused entry with her two service dogs.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the court on Thursday upheld the order for Kara Johnson, the owner of Duck Stop Market, to pay $60,000 to Michel Hilt-Hayden.

According to the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, Johnson denied Hilt-Hayden entry in April 2013. Hilt-Hayden later filed a complaint with the bureau.

According to court documents, Hilt-Hayden has trouble seeing and hearing and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. The service dogs help her avoid waking into obstacles, and they’re also trained to perform a chest compression procedure.

The newspaper could not reach Johnson’s attorney for comment Thursday.